


Someone New

by Dawnwind



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-18 07:49:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11869833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawnwind/pseuds/Dawnwind
Summary: Jack and Crutchie share a slice of cake.





	Someone New

Someone New  
By Dawnwind

 

 _“Look, girls are nice, once or twice, till I find someone new~”_  
I Never Planned on--

Jack Kelly climbed the last rung on the fire escape, peering over the railing. Just as he’d expected, and hoped, Crutchie had sought the quiet of the penthouse on a hot day like this. Even though they’d moved into better rooms in the boarding house, this was still their favorite refuge.

In the west, the sky was going purplish as the sun sunk down behind the taller buildings. The last rays seemed to delight in Crutchie’s straw blond hair, highlighting strands to golden around the edge of his cap.

“Hey,” Jack greeted, sitting a few feet away from his friend.

“Oh, hey, Jack!” Crutchie pulled out one of his patented grins, but it was slower and less dazzling than usual. “Thought you were spending time with Miss Star Reporter.”

“She’s covering some bigwig throwin’ his hat in the ring for mayor,” Jack explained. “Not my kinda party.”

“Aren’t you the pape’s new political cartoonist?” Crutchie asked, looking up at the evening sky. “Draw that palooka with an enormous head and…”

“Cigar clenched between his teeth.” Jack laughed. Truth be told, Katherine wasn’t whom he wanted to spend his time with. She was fun, witty and smart, but for weeks now, he’d found himself missing the old life. As satisfying as it was to be taken seriously as an artist and consulted on subjects he really knew little about, there was something about selling papes on the street corners that felt more honest and straightforward. “Katherine’s in her element, she don’t need me tonight.”

“Oh.” Crutchie turned slightly, looking Jack in the eyes for the first time that night. “You and her…” he faltered with a shrug, turning back to the view as if embarrassed. 

Jack knew Crutchie hadn’t had much experience with women. The gimpy leg got him the sympathy sale, hell, he could practically just lean on his crutch and sell papes, but didn’t draw in the skirts. 

He rarely noticed Crutchie’s lameness. Not with all the other things the boy had going for him: poi-senality, a sweet nature, a hearty sense of humor and a never-quit attitude. Those are what had cemented their friendship on the streets, and why he’d taken to sharing his aerie with him, despite the difficulty Crutchie had getting up the metal ladder.  
Jack moved a little closer, unwrapped the treat he’d brought. Pulitzer’s secretary had turned out to be a fine baker, and regularly brought in confections for the employees. She’d developed a fondness for Jack, leaving a slice of pie or cake on his desk every week.

“You tol’ me once, your birthday was in August,” he said, holding out the tempting treat. “Can’t say you mentioned a specific day, so’s I hope this covers it.”

“Jack!” Crutchie dipped a finger into the frosting. “I ain’t never had a birthday cake before.”

“Always a first time.” Jack set the large slice between them on its napkin, strangely thrilled to watch Crutchie lick the frosting off. “It’s all yours.”

“Nah. I can’t eat that much. Let’s share.” Crutchie pinched off a bit and pushed it playfully into Jack’s mouth.

“Hey!” Sweet chocolatey bliss filled his mouth and he swallowed, wanting more. He ran his tongue over his lips, accidentally encountering Crutchie’s finger as he pushed in another morsel.

Crutchie giggled, jerking his frosting smeared hand back to lick off the remainder. “This is really good. Where’d you get it?”

“Ol’Joe’s secretary makes all sorts a’swell cakes n’ pies. She hands it out to the writers. She thinks I don’t get enough to eat—“ Jack took another small portion, leaving most for his friend.

“Which used t’be true until you got this steady job.” Crutchie finally indulged, breaking off a large chunk of cake and eating with obvious delight. 

Between the two of them, the cake disappeared in under a minute.

“Hey.” Jack leaned over. “You got some on your chin…” He raised a hand to wipe it away just as Crutchie swallowed the last bite. Touching Crutchie was like putting his fingers into an electric socket. Jack tingled. 

Crutchie’s eyes went wide, sparkling from within like the blue gems Jack had seen in the window of that fancy jewelry store near the Banner’s office. With a wild thought of licking the smear of chocolate away, Jack swiped his thumb across his friend’s chin. “You ever think of kissing?” he whispered.

Crutchie exhaled in a rush, his breath warm and chocolate scented. “You mean Katherine?” he asked, sounding confused.

“Yeah,” Jack agreed, slipping his hand around the back of Crutchie’s neck to draw him that much closer. “’Cept she’s not who I’m thinking about kissing right now.”

“Oh…” 

Crutchie’s lips were already puckered when Jack moved in. If Katherine had been sweet and sassy to kiss, Crutchie was magnificent. What Jack had been waiting for his entire life: this was Santa Fe, his haven. His refuge, even more than the rooftop perch. He could stay in this moment forever.

Seemed Crutchie could, too. Jack pulled back slightly, pushing off Crutchie’s cap to stroke his hair, and Crutchie clutched at his shoulders, holding him in place to kiss him with hot desire. Jack didn’t need another invitation, he dove in, moaning softly. For a long time, they existed only for one another.

“Crutchie…” Jack murmured softly, nuzzling his neck.

“Jacob,” Crutchie said into his ear. “Call me Jacob.”

“Jacob?” Startled, Jack sat back to see his friend’s face, keeping one hand warm on Crutchie’s slender waist.

“My real name.”

“You never tol’ me,” Jack retorted. Katherine flitted briefly through the back of his brain. At some point, he’d have to deal with the complications of seeing her when he really wanted to be with Crutchie. 

“Been a long time since anybody called me that. My dad was the only one.” He shifted, leaning against the metal railing to look at Jack with a crooked smile. “Most folk just got to saying Crutchie.” He shrugged, tapping Jack’s arm gently as if he couldn’t keep his hands off.

“Cause a’ that.” Jack nodded at the ever present crutch near Crutchie’s—make that Jacob’s—leg.

“That’s what’s funny. Guys dubbed me Crutchie long before I got polio. My last name’s Crutchfeld.” He laughed. 

“I ain’t ever heard you talk about any family—“ Jack said carefully. It was a touchy subject for most of the newsies. So few had parents or any close relatives to speak of. He certainly didn’t. Instead, he had Crutchie, Specs, and the rest. Davey and Les, too, even if the brothers had living parents.

Crutchie cocked his head thoughtfully. “Ma died just after I was born, so it was just Pops n’ me ‘till I was twelve.” He shrugged. “We got polio at the same time. I dunno why I lived,” Crutchie waggled his twisted foot, “and he died.”

Jack pulled Crutchie into a hug. It was a familiar story, one every newsie could tell in some form or another, but it still hurt. “You said it before, we’re family now.”

“A little more than brothers?” Crutchie said with a mischievous grin. He aimed a playful punch at jack and then replaced his fist with a kiss.

“Best friends,” Jack vowed against his lips. “For always.” 

FIN


End file.
